Thursday January 31 2019 saw the ribbon cutting to mark the grand opening of our new Reading Corner at CEART. Children from a local school, along with their teachers, volunteers, local dignitaries, CEART officials and other interested members of the community took in this welcoming and colorful space and engaged in various cultural and reading-oriented activities. Finn the reading dog was the main attraction and the interactive Big Book intrigued several visitors.
The corner is open for several hours on selected days each week when, for example, mothers and young children are at CEART while their older siblings are busy in the various art, drama, music and dance classes offered there. Typical current hours are from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.
Mothers with small children use the Reading Corner read to their children on the floor; a few senior citizens read on the sofa and easy chairs. Some and children come to read or do homework. Marcela Felix, FOL's Program Coordinator, is volunteering her time as a storyteller every Tuesday while her own daughter attends drama class at CEART.
The corner is open for several hours on selected days each week when, for example, mothers and young children are at CEART while their older siblings are busy in the various art, drama, music and dance classes offered there. Typical current hours are from 4:00 to 8:00 pm.
Mothers with small children use the Reading Corner read to their children on the floor; a few senior citizens read on the sofa and easy chairs. Some and children come to read or do homework. Marcela Felix, FOL's Program Coordinator, is volunteering her time as a storyteller every Tuesday while her own daughter attends drama class at CEART.
We are also offering Reading Circles and themed reading programs. For example, twelve readers including two adults started reading Diego's Dragon for the start of a Diego program that will make dragons later. A small group of English speaking adults who attended the grand opening have started a Reading Circle reading the trilogy of "Panchito books" by Francisco Jimenez, which are used in our city-wide school program. These books are magical in their ability to resonate with readers of all ages from 6 to well past 60, whether in English or Spanish.
A number of parents have offered to help with the corner, so volunteer training sessions have begun.
Books are on loan from the Corner and in the first week of operationg, 22 books checked out and an average of 40/45 persons having been using the Reading Corner per day. All of this is an exciting development and yet another way for us to fulfill our mission to promote reading in Rosarito. There are requests for the corner to be open more days and more hours per day. That is not possible now but with the volunteer interest, we will continualy monitor the possibiilty to expand the Reading Corner's hours and offerings.
A number of parents have offered to help with the corner, so volunteer training sessions have begun.
Books are on loan from the Corner and in the first week of operationg, 22 books checked out and an average of 40/45 persons having been using the Reading Corner per day. All of this is an exciting development and yet another way for us to fulfill our mission to promote reading in Rosarito. There are requests for the corner to be open more days and more hours per day. That is not possible now but with the volunteer interest, we will continualy monitor the possibiilty to expand the Reading Corner's hours and offerings.